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Community Corner

Fishing Derby Winners Announced

Town tradition continues as families enjoy day at Dealaman's Nature Trail Pond.

Updated May 24: A 17-inch long catfish hauled ashore by Christian Galdi took the grand prize at Saturday's Warren Township Fishing Derby.

"My son loves fishing, and he was so excited to catch the biggest fish—he is still talking about it," Al Galdi, CHristian's father, said. 

Other winners included:

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Ages 5 and 6: Nicholas Lucas (first place) and Ben Verbell for their 13.5-inch catfishes;

Ages 7 and 8: Kristen Kohler, first place for her 14 inch bass; Alan Chen, second place with a 12.5-inch bass;

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Ages 9 and 10: Anna Ramos, first place with a 14-inch bass, and Anthony Yarussi, second place with a 13-inch bass;

Ages 11 and 12: Gabe Gallic, first place with a 13-inch catfish, and Evan Rahimi, second place with a 12.5-inch bass;

Ages 13-14: Sebacin Gallic, first place with a 13-inch bass, and Frankie Yarussi, second place with a 13-inch bass.

Original post:


Children and their families came out to reel one in at Dealaman’s Nature Trail Pond on Saturday for the Warren Recreation Department’s 26th annual Fishing Derby.

Children with fishing poles in tow surrounded the pond to cast their rods in hopes of reeling in a 2- to 3-pound bass or catfish that populated the lake after a recent stocking.

The derby is one of Warren’s largest events for children and families, drawing in 100 to 200 each year. Upon arrival, participants were given a red bucket to hold worms for bait and a white baseball cap with a “Fishing Derby 2011” logo.

“They’ll be excited if they catch anything,” said Brenda Nemcek who was at the Derby for the first time with her children, Zachary 9, and Jacob, 7.

Nemcek said that soccer and baseball schedules had prevented the family from attending in previous years. She was watching patiently as Zachary attempted to master the art of casting. He’d swing the pole forward and the hook would wind up at water’s edge.

Meanwhile at the other end of the pond, Alex Siegel, 9, had a bit more success. To his surprise, he reeled in an 11.5-inch bass.

“I was just reeling it in, maybe the hook caught on the fish and it stuck,” the young angler said.

Siegel, like others who caught fish, brought the catch to a tent where the fish was measured to be entered into the official derby tally. Those who caught the biggest fish won prizes such a fishing tackle box or a new pole.

Warren’s Fishing Derby is somewhat of a rite of passage where young anglers learn all the techniques of placing the bobbin the right distance from hook, how release at the right time during a cast and, of course, how to apply a large slithering worm onto a tiny hook.

“We have to tell people to keep their bait in the water and not cast it, that is one of our problems,” said event patriarch Bruce Vitale, who pitched the idea of a fishing derby to the town 26 years ago. “It just keeps getting bigger every year. I wish every kid in the town was here."

Vitale said there is a difference between Warren’s Fishing Derby and those in other towns he has attended.

“Most towns use stock trout,” Vitale said. “Every time they stock trout, they die. Once the water gets warm the trout can’t survive, that’s why we use bass and catfish.”

Vitale, and his brother, Brian, who was responsible for producing the hats that are given out each year, periodically spoke on the loudspeaker to remind participants that the derby was “catch-and-release.”

“We heard that there was a guy across the pond who caught a really big bass,” Brian Vitale said. “He never brought it in to get it weighed.” 

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